A Castle's Cinderella
by MRA72
Summary: AU Story-Kate's parents got killed in an accident and has to live with her mother's evil boss and her two devil children who make her life a living nightmare. All her hopes and dreams for the future seem to be lost...until a new student enters the doors to her school. Will they both inspire each other and find their happily ever afters?
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Hello everyone, so excited to start on my next castle fanfic! A manhattan cop's love story is still going on and i'm going to continue with it but i had this idea for the story and had to write it down! this is a AU story and doesn't really go with the show just the characters. This first chapter is kind of short but that is due to my time right now and setting up the story. Mostly from Kate's point of view. If you're expecting Kate to be a typical Cinderella archetype, it may seem that way at first but I have a plan and will turn the tables on you later, until then enjoy!**

A Castle's Cinderella

Chapt 1

Sunlight rose over the horizon in New York City, showing the dawn of a new day...or it least it was until my Paulina started barking orders at me in the midst of a beautiful dream. "KATHERINE, WE NEED BREAKFAST NOW! I DON'T PAY YOU TO SLEEP ALL DAY!" she yelled. _You don't pay me at all_ I thought,rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. This was what I've had to deal with ever since Paulina took me in. When my parents died in a car crash when I was 11, my mother's boss took charge of me from what she like to call "the charity of her heart". I didn't have any other living relatives so no one contested her for custody of me and therefore my life of servitude had begun.

Ever since the first day I entered her household, Paulina treated me as part of the hired help. I do all the chores, cooking, not to mention I have my own work from school to finish when I get home from school. It seems I never stop going and that I'm just a robot programmed to follow everything I'm told. My mom always told me when i was younger to always stand up to others when they were in the wrong, but every time I threatened to leave, Paulina would tell me that I was better off where I am and that I was in her debt since she took me in because my mom was her employee. So I stay under Paulina's roof doing whatever she orders, besides she let's me go to school and I'm almost ready to graduate so I'll finally get out of the evil witch's grasp and start living my own life.

If the work i had to do for "mommy dearest" wasn't bad enough, I also had to contend with her demon spawn as well; Gina is the oldest and probably the most cruel of the two girls. She was vicious and did everything in her power to make sure my life was a living nightmare, from putting hair dye in my shampoo to convincing her mother to add even more chores on my list of things to do so I couldn't go to the movies with my best friend Lanie; Gina was a pure devil child. And then there's Meredith, she's your typical dramatic brat and gets whatever she wants by just whining like a little two year old. She follows Gina's lead everywhere and did exactly what her sister did. I remember watching an old movie called "Mean Girls" and if the dumb blonde ever had a twin sister, I'd imagine Meredith would be the one to play the part. Both girls did everything in they could to make sure I was never happy and since they were the most popular girls at school, you can just imagine the turmoil I had to endure there, ugh and today was Monday which meant…

"KATE, BREAKFAST NOW!" I snapped out of my reverie and moaned then dragged myself off the little bed in my room aka the attic on the top of the building complex we lived in. It was shabby at first, but it was the only place I could escape from everything. All the work, drama, hurt that existed outside that door never made its way into my sanctuary. Here, I was safe and comfort and if I could. I would never leave this place ever; but we live in the real world and I had to move along with it. "KATE!" my guardian yelled. I quickly out on my robe and wandered downstairs, time to enter the gates of hell.

**AN:...So? REVIEW PLEASE!**


	2. Chapter 2

AN: Again sorry about the long wait but here you are the second chapter enjoy!

Chapt 2

I just got finished with the she devils frittatas when her "precious little darlings rushed down the stairs. Gina was primped and polished as usual and pushed her sister out of the way in order to reach the table first. "You're late making us breakfast again, maybe instead of reading that blog online all night you should pre-prepare our food so as to not be late to school" she retorted

"Yeah Katherine, you can't seem to do anything right since you're always on that laptop of yours, Mother gave that to you so you could organize schedules and school work not for your own entertainment" Meredith added. I wanted to fire threats right back at them knowing exactly what they did on their computers, but I held my tongue and continued on working on my breakfast. The last thing I needed today was to give the twisted sisters reasons to convince my "stepmother" to confiscate my livelihood.

After my parents died and I was basically sworn to answer her families every whim, I went into a state of depression. I only focused on my daily chores and endured the tiresome torture given me everyday by Gina and Meredith, I thought I couldn't find any sort of happiness again. Then, one day I was enjoying what seemed to be a nice reprieve from my chaotic new family at the library and when I was surfing the internet to get information for a paper and I found a new blog entry. The blog was named Castellian and whoever wrote it was a genius wordsmith for the whole piece had me in awe, yet no one knew the author's real name all there was was a pseudonym as the writer probably didn't their real identity to be known.

However I needed to know who wrote this so I tried to find the one who wrote this beautiful piece of work in the next following weeks after finding it that day but all I found was the username of the one who posted them:RookJameson_41319. It was a great mystery story and it ended on a cliffhanger that literally had me on the edge of my seat. Whoever wrote it was a genius, they made a whole other world in which I could escape from my daily dose of tortured reality...somewhere full of intrigue and adventure that I wish I had in my life.I Favorited it on my laptop, wanting to know what happened next in the story every week and became a regular reader since that fateful day in the library. It was one of the only great escapes I could go to for when times became too hard in this place which could hardly be called a home. If this one vice was taken away from me, I would be stuck in the harsh reality called my life and not even my friends would be able to drag me out of the torment that I would have to endure everyday.

I was pulled out from my thoughts by Paulina clearing her throat and just as I finished plating my breakfast, Gina snatched it out of my hands. "Gina that was mine!" I argued "Ha sorry sister dear but your too slow besides I don't wanna be late and therefore break my perfect attendance record so thanks for the noble sacrifice" the evil brat smiled vilely and both her and her sister left the table to grab their bags. "Katherine I need you to come straight home after school, some people from the firm are coming over and the house is still a shambles, oh and I need you to make some appetizers for the meeting we are having" Paulina ordered.

This was not anything new to me, she always had me do things last minute,but I had made plans in advance for tonight. "Paulina, I told you already I had plans with Lanie tonight, we're supposed to go to the library and start our literature project with Jenny, that's an important grade and I…."

"Well tough, you are just gonna have to cancel those plans cause I need you here to complete the chores and get food ready for my meeting, you should be grateful that I give you a sensible work ethic not many kids get to exercise this skill whereas you have it in spades but if you don't appreciate all that I do for you like letting the prep academy taking you in as a scholarship student in the first place maybe I'll consider my daughter's idea of taking away your computer away since it seems to be a distraction from your work" she sneered with a knowing look that said she'd won. I became quiet and dropped the issue, leave it to my evil stepmother to screw up my day today, could this day get any...no if i say that it might just come true knowing my luck. "No need for that I'll be here." I complied "Good to see where your priorities lie,oh and your omelet is burning," of course it is I took the pan off the burner and put it under the sink before it caught fire Paulina just laughed and said her good-byes to her girls and proceeded out the door.

"Poor Katie can't hang out with her stupid friends ha ha ha, oh and you need to also make our appointments for the girls with Eviana Michel to measure them for their dresses for the winter dance and they need to look fabulous so don't forget, now I gotta go, I have a important call in an hour and have to be at the office, oh and Katherine " I looked up from the floor to gaze at her leaving "your Frittata is burning" with that she laughed and closed the door behind her as she left. I scrambled to get my burning breakfast out of the pan and into the trash, I sighed grabbing some more ingredients to make yet my third attempt at breakfast when I saw the time flashing on the stove. "Shit !" well breakfast was a bust so I grabbed my phone texted my best friend Lainie asking if she would go by Starbucks and grab me a danish and my usual order of coffee, then rushed off to my room to change into my outfit for the day. Today was already going off badly who knows what I was in store at the second worst place in my world: Marlowe Prep Academy.

AN: Review please, they make me write faster and get back to you sooner


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Hello everyone, I love the reactions that you all have for this story and I proud to present the next chapter to you! Enjoy! Oh and I don't claim to know how the adoption/foster/or legal systems works, just putting down what is being created in my head.

Chapt 3

I rushed up to the front stairwell of the school adjusting my jacket and straightening my hair,as if my day wasn't bad enough already I couldn't find anything to wear and my hair decided to be my enemy today as well as my "loving step-family". Then I missed my subway to the school and had to walk nearly 12 blocks. As I neared the top of the stairs I saw my best friend Lainie with both coffee and bear claw at the ready for me. "Let me guess, the twisted sisters gave you hell this morning as well as took the scraps you made for yourself for breakfast and that's why I had to drag my butt to the nearest coffee shop in order to feed and caffeinate you?" she sneered cheekily.

"Let's just say that if Paulina wanted to clone herself, Gina is the closest she's ever gonna come close to the perfect one. Oh and I have to cancel our plans for our Lit. Project due to "the beast" giving me strict orders to feed her co-workers tonight. Ugh I hate my life, as if anything could..."

"Don't you dare finish that sentence or else it will happen and you know that with your luck it will!" Lainie interrupted "Anyhow, what are we supposed to do about meeting to start our project, does the witch understand that is part of our final grade? Not to mention that with our limited prowess in the subject of English its gonna take all the time we have to at least aim for at least a B-? Ugh sometimes I wonder if you have an invisible ball and chain linked to the evil demon woman and her spawn!"

I laughed at that "Why is it that I fear you are right about that image, and I tried to tell her, but you know her she already believe I'm enslaved to her for all eternity and practically in her employ till I die." I replied with disdain. "Why don't you just tell her off? You are a senior about to graduate and off to college away from her, if I were you I would let her have it now, give her what has been coming to her after all these years."

While Lainie had a point that I am graduating at the end of this semester, Paulina had somehow access to my parents inheritance to me and threatened and blackmailed me with it if I were ever to disobey, talk back, or even refused to do her bidding. "You know very well why I can't, all I can do is put up with her until the end of the semester and then I'm out of her hair forever." We reached the front door and entered the school, a huge three story establishment home to the spoiled rich kids and the very few scholarship students which consisted of me, Lainie, and Javier Esposito who was the closest thing to a brother that I had. "Well I for one think that she needs a taste of her own medicine, anyway did you hear..."

"Well if it isn't losers one and two, what are you doing in our territory Katie?" the snide voice of Gina was coming from in front of us, of course she had to ruin the rest of my morning. "Gina we need to get to class you made me late enough as it is today so please let me through."

"Oh I will Katie but first where is my French essay at ? Its due today and if you never want those baby photos to go to everyone in this school, I suggest you give it to me now." Gina went snooping in my room last week and found old embarrassing baby pictures of me and they used it to their advantage suggesting if i didn't do their schoolwork, they'd post those pictures on the school Facebook page, I complied to their demands as usual for I couldn't let them hold anything more over my head. Just then Meredith came saddling up behind her "oh and also my Algebra homework as well Katie and I hope its a better mark than last time." I put my backpack and dug through it finding both their papers and handed them over. "There, all edited and double checked, now out of the way we're late to English!" I guess they were feeling gracious today for they didn't linger and torture me further and both of them left.

Halfway up the hall, I looked down for a second zipping up my backpack "So Lainie what were you...all of a sudden I slammed into to someone and all the papers and my books went flying and I fell to my feet. It was probably one of the jocks running in the halls again who bumped into me, not an uncommon occurrence that happens to me but an annoying one "Hey watch where..." I looked up expecting to see Josh, the football captain but instead I saw a boy whom I didn't recognize at all. He was tall, had rich dark brown hair, and the most intriguing blue eyes I ever saw. To say he was hot was an understatement for he was the most breathtaking boy I had ever seen and this made me so speechless I didn't realize that he was trying to apologize to me.

"I'm so sorry, I'm such a klutz and wasn't paying attention to where was going. Are you alright?" his voice was deep and calming, all I could do was nod in response "here let me help you pick these up it's the least I could do after I barreled over you" He started to pick up my stuff off the floor and I stole a glance over at Lainie, she was smirking in the corner and grabbed one of my book the flew on the floor near her. After we picked up all of it, he gave me all my stuff back. "Thank you," I whispered to him "and sorry I ran into you." He smiled at me and assured me that it was his fault, not mine; this guy isn't like the others, they usually just blame me and walk off without offering help. The bell had rung signaling the first late bell "Ah shit," and before I could tell the guy my name I grabbed for Lainie's hand and rushed towards our class, however I did glance back to have one more look upon those beautiful blue orbs of the sweetest stranger I would probably never see again.

AN: Hope you enjoyed and if I can get some reviews today, by tonight you'll get a chapter 4 of this and chapter 10 of A Manhattan cops love story tonight as my present for the new year, again REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! Untill tonight!


	4. Chapter 4

AN: As promised here's the next chapter, my other story will be updated tomorrow I promise. Enjoy and remember REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW

Disclaimer:don't own anyone just Mr. Lowry for he is my own creation

Chapter 4

We rounded the corner and ducked into our classroom just in time for the second and final late bell, Gina and Meredith seemed to have arrived already and sat in the back with their henchman and no doubt snickering at us seeing as we are late again. However, lucky for us Mr. Lowry, our English teacher was no where in the room "You're lucky today girls" a voice said behind us. Javier Esposito sat in his desk with a smug look on his face, "He just dropped off his stuff and left for the office so he didn't get a chance to see your usual empty seats ha ha OUCH!" Jenny O'Malley one of my other best friends kicked his chair real hard.

"Javier leave them alone, its obvious that they got held up by the devil twins again. Are you guys alright? You look a little shaken Katie?" Jennifer Duffy O'Malley was another one of my best friends, she was not a scholarship student and came from good family with high standing in society yet she did not act like the other bloodsucking, spoiled vipers around here but she was exactly the opposite. Jenny was sweet and kind and never saw a fault in anyone (yes even the vipers themselves to her can't be all bad she says to us daily), she reminds me so much of Jane in Pride and Prejudice, one of my favorite books (even though my writings skills aren't up to par, reading was where I did excel in this class) to read when I actually have an ounce of silence in the ever noisy loft house that is my home.

"Oh yeah, we did get stopped by tweedle dumb and dumber but that's not what made us late did it Kate?" Lainie said to Jenny who's face now shown confusion. I didn't want to discuss the matter further for I was still rattled by the whole thing, the one guy in the world who was actually nice to me and due to the bell I never got to learn his name and therefore he slipped away never to be seen again.

"Do tell Lainie what exactly happened that made you late and apparently also make Katie here blush?" Jenny continued to question them. Lainie turned towards me waiting for me to explain but I wasn't going to budge so she intervened and did it herself. "Kate here ran into a tall dark and handsome stranger in the hallway and boy was he fine!" Javier rose from his seat protesting this "Hey how come you get to say stuff like that around me yet when I say something so innocent as Tori has a nice sweater on today you go off on me ?"

Lainie scowled and turned around to face her boyfriend giving him the most frightening death glare "Because unlike me, I wasn't ogling his body like you were doing with Tori. Not to mention that even though I'm a lady don't forget I can still whoop your..."

"Good Morning class, sorry to be late but I'm here now" said Mr. Lowry walking into the classroom. "Before we get started, I have an announcement to make, surely you have already heard that we are gaining a new student today. His name is Richard Rodgers and he will be with us throughout the rest of the semester, come on in Rick." he motioned for the person outside to enter and I was astounded to see that the new student was none other than my mystery stranger from the hall, still looking as gorgeous as he was when I left him in the hall. His eyes then connected with mine and I could feel my cheeks starting to flush again turning them red. I quickly looked away.

"Meow" I heard a familiar voice say from the back of the room, followed by "Yummy" by none other than that persons counterpart. Looks like both of my stepsisters set their sights on their new target for their latest conquest in a long line of boy toys in their disposal. I was to busy rolling my eyes at their ridiculous antics that I didn't hear Lowry direct the him towards the only empty desk...right next to mine. He sat down and smiled at me "Nice to see a friendly face, again I apologize for nearly killing you in the hallway with my clumsiness." He offered.

"It's alright," I laughed "I really should've paid attention to where I was going anyway, its over and done with now and you more than paid your dues by helping me pick up my stuff." Before he could say something back, Mr. Lowry commenced teaching again. "Now I know I told you that you were in teams of 3 for your Literature project but seeing as we have an odd pairing now with Mr. Rodgers arrival we will be getting into 3 groups of 4 and one group of 5, Mr. Rodgers and Esposito you will be grouping with the Ladies Parrish, O'Malley, and Beckett..." he started giving the rest of the orders for the groups, the new boy Richard was starting talk to me again.

"Beckett, that's you right? Does that come with a first name or do I have to come up with one for you ?" I giggled yet again, he was comical I'll give him that. He stuck his hand in front of me "Oh by the way, I'm Richard but everyone calls me Rick." I hesitated but gave him my hand in return "My names Katherine, but call me Kate, everyone else does. We both shook hands, "It's very nice to meet you Kate" he replied back yet again making me blush for the third time today, its not been a full day yet and this guy seemed make me feel safe and secure and we had just met. Just who is this Rick Rodgers? Well one things for certain, I was bound and determined to find out.


End file.
